Home Trends: Micro-units in the mountains

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Small condo living in the Rockies has become a hyped-up lifestyle. Maybe your main home is a ski-in, ski-out studio on Peak 8 in Breckenridge or you have your second home as a less-than-800-square-foot condo in Keystone or Copper. Regardless, many folks are downsizing for a simpler lifestyle. As you are shopping for your smaller space quarters, there are many things to consider that can assist you to effectively make use of limited spaces. Micro-units are defined as dwellings smaller than 500 square feet. When I first moved to Summit County, I resided in a 475-square-foot studio on Peak 7. It took me some time to arrange the place appropriately and determine the best way to utilize the space. Thanks to plenty of cabinet space and a large closet, I was able to manage the organization and functionality effective. Recently, I stumbled on an article demonstrating how a designer created usable and practical living space within a 220-square-foot studio in an East Coast city. The thoughtfulness behind the design for this space was genius, and it is what sparked my interest in facts regarding these micro-units that are gaining popularity. Summit County has had the micro-condo living philosophy for years now: Putting us ahead of the rest in terms of small-space ingenuity and practicality. I reached out to a friend of mine, local realtor Reilly DeSantis of Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate, to inquire more information on micro-unit living in our area. According to DeSantis, there are currently 59 studios in Summit County. These studios start with a price tag of $99,000 and most top out at just under $300,000. In the past six months, 26 studios have sold, while five are currently under contract. While 198 one-bedroom units are presently on the market, 92 have sold in the last six months and 30 are under contract today. DeSantis advocates small spaces like these as great second homes for "they are much less maintenance and easy to come and go from." Many people are looking to reduce their carbon footprint; therefore, micro spaces are of great appeal for the environmentally conscience. First-time home buyers are a great prospect for these small homes, as well, since micro-units allow these real estate market amateurs to get into an affordable situation to build equity as they gain more knowledge and experience.The trick with small space is how do you make room for your essentials and your additional belongings that need their place in your home too? Within my next article, I will approach this thought as I incorporate how to make a micro-units functional. After all, it is one thing to have all of your possessions fit into one space, but your home still needs to be operational for everyday use. More to come next week from me. To be continued ...For more home style tips and information visit ifurnish and More Space Place in Frisco or email Kalyn Johnson at kalyn@morespaceplaceco.com.